A very bitter drink, mate is made from the dry leaves of the yerba mate plant, its prepared by placing ground up mate leaves into a cup, or mate gourd, and adding hot water (Uruguay). After a little while, the flavor mixes into the water and then sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. In many places, small groups of people share drinking of mate, because it signifies friendship (Uruguay).
Mate
A very bitter drink, mate is made from the dry leaves of the yerba mate plant, its prepared by placing ground up mate leaves into a cup, or mate gourd, and adding hot water (Uruguay). After a little while, the flavor mixes into the water and then sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. In many places, small groups of people share drinking of mate, because it signifies friendship (Uruguay).